Hominy-hill



J. HUGHES.

Hominy Machine.

No. 9,323. Patented Oct. 12, 1852.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES HUGHES, OF CAMBRIDGE CITY, INDIANA.

HOlVIINY-MILL.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 9,323. dated October 12, 1852.

T all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES HUGHES, of

' Cambridge City, Indiana,have invented new and useful Machinery for Making Hominy and Samp; and I do hereby declare the fol lowing to be a full, clear and exact description of the nature, construction, and operation thereof, reference being had to the annexed drawing, making part of this specification.

My improvements consist in a peculiar arrangement of mechanism whereby instead of the usual rubbing or grinding action the corn is subjected to a striking or percussion force in combination with devices for separating the hulls, eyes and broken corn as fast as they are detached, which avoids not only the pulverizing effects of the former description of treatment (which wastes the corn and injures the hominy) but also dispenses with the necessity of dampening the corn (at present the usual preliminary process to hulling) this is a matter of the most essential importance, with a grain so subject to fermentation as Indian corn, and broken corn or hominy is much more liable to atmospheric injury than whole corn, which is in a degree protected by its hull.

From this cause the amount of stock which can be kept on hand at one time is necessarily very limited, and this limited supply enhances the cost so much, that hominy made from corn at twenty-five cents per bushel fetches seventy-five cents.

In the annexed drawing, (a) is a suitable wooden frame or stand, (6, c) are two concave equal sections of a hollow cylindrical drum or box, (cl) is a shaft which is made to rotate about the axis of the drum, and is armed with spikes (e), which present a flat surface when the shaft is revolved in one direction and a sharp edge when it is revolved in the reverse direction. The lower concave is pierced with two tiers of grated apertures (f) (9), one tier (f) at its lower part and the other tier (9) somewhat up its side, each tier is provided with a sliding register (f) (g) similarly pierced. The registers are worked by screws, whose handles (h) (z') are seen outside one head of the lower concave. One or both handles may have an index as a guide for adjustment of the size of the apertures.

The drum being charged with corn, the shaft is rotated at the rate of about four hundred revolutions to the minute, in the direction presenting the flat side of the spikes or beater-s to the corn. This-action in a few minutes removes the hulls and eyes, and these escape through the side apertures which are slightly opened for that purpose; then the cylinder being reversed, presenting the beaters edge foremost, a few very swift revolutions of the shaft (about 600 to 800 per minute) break the corn, and the lower apertures being adjusted to the size or grade of hominy required, the shaft is rotated until the entire contents have passed the apertures.

Having thus fully described the nature of my improved machinery for making hominy and samp, what I claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, are

The combination of the beating cylinder arranged and constructed as set forth with the adjustable discharging apertures (f g), by means of which the hulls and eyes are separated from the grain, and the latter is retained within the range of the heaters, for a shorter or longer period, according to the grade or size of hominy or samp which is desired.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, before two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES HUGHES. 

